Positioning arm for case loader

ABSTRACT

A positioning arm for use in a grid set on an article loading machine wherein articles such as bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above a grid set into cases carried below the grid set. The positioning arm includes an elongated member which has an arcuate inner surface for engaging a surface of the bottle as the bottle passes through passages for loading into the case. Positioning arms are carried in each corner of the passages.

United States Patent 1 Hartness et al.

[ Oct. 14, 1975 POSITIONING ARM FOR CASE IJOADER [76] lnventors: Thomas P. Hartness, 305

Bridgewater Drive; Robert G. Hartness, 203 Wilmington Road, both of Greenville, SC. 29602 [22] Filed: Jan. 23, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 435,715

[52] US. Cl 53/248; 53/262 [51] Int. C1. B6513 39/02 [58] Field of Search 53/248, 262, 247; 193/32, 193/40 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,753,673 7/1956 Olive 53/248 X 3,271,928 9/1966 Wild 53/248 3,273,308 9/1966 Hoette 53/248 X 3,325,967 6/1967 Wild 53/262 3,553,932 l/l97l Rowekamp 3,788,034 1] 1974 Hartness et a1. 53/248 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spruill Assistant Examiner-Leon Gilden Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bailey & Dority ABSTRACT A positioning arm for use in a grid set on an article loading machine wherein articles such as bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above a grid set into cases carried below the grid set. The positioning arm includes an elongated member which has an arcuate inner surface for engaging a surface of the bottle as the bottle passes through passages for loading into the case. Positioning arms are carried in each corner of the passages.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures US. Patent 0m. 14, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,911,647

US. Patant Oct. 14, 1975 shw 2 of2 $911,647

POSITIONING ARM FOR CASE LOADER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a positioning arm and more particularly to a positioning arm for use in a grid set of a case loading machine.

In grid sets presently utilized with bottle loading machines normally flexible fingers are utilized for engaging the bottles as they pass therethrough for properly positioning the bottles into cases and also into cartons carried within cases. One problem with such thin flexible fingers is that they are placed adjacent the side walls of the case and sometimes do not release the bottles as the loaded case is lowered to be shifted onto a receiving conveyor. Examples of flexible grid fingers heretofore utilized are illustrated in US. Pat. No. 2,713,448 granted to Wimmer, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 2,540,743 granted to Leach. Other types of case packing apparatus are disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,481,108 granted to Englander, et al. and US. Pat. No. 3,555,770 granted to Rowekemp.

In our copending patent application entitled Grid Set For An Article Loading Machine which will issue on Jan. 29, 1974, and obtain US. Pat. No. 3,788,034, a grid set is illustrated for use on a bottle loading machine. The grid set includes a plurality of arms which are carried in the corner of passages for engaging bottles as such are loading into cases. The arms, as illustrated, are constructed of rod-like members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is for a positioning arm used in a grid set for an article loading machine wherein articles such as bottles and the like are loaded from aligned rows carried above the grid set into a case or cartons carried below the grid set. The grid set includes a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing the articles to pass therebetween. A plurality of positioning arms are supported on the elongated spaced members for defining passages through which the articles pass for loading into the case. The positioning arms include an elongated member having an upper portion, a main body intermediate portion and a lower portion. The main body portion has an elongated arcuate inner surface for engaging a surface of the article as the articles pass through the passages for guiding the article into the case. The rear side of the elongated member opposite the arcuate surface has a right angle shape so as to permit the elongated member to be forced into a corner of the passage by the article passing through the passageway. The apex of the right angle shaped rear side is rounded so as to ride over any rough surfaces in the case when the positioning arm is being forced into the corner.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a rugged and reliable positioning arm for use in grid sets for loading articles into cartons and cases.

Another important important object of the present invention is to provide a positioning arm which is provided with means for biasing a lower end thereof towards the center of a passageway for retarding the movement of bottles and the like as such are loaded into cases.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a positioning arm which is utilized in a grid set for insuring that individual compartments of cartons provided for receiving bottles and the like are properly open for receiving the articles.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a grid set used for loading articles into cases with a deflector means which insures the loading of articles into proper compartments of cases.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent Upon reference to the following specification, attendant claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, planned view illustrating a grid set constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, perspective view illustrating positioning arms mounted on an elongated member forming part of the grid set,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, side elevational view illustrating one type of partition forming part of the grid set that is positioned in a slot illustrated in FIG. 6,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, side elevational view illustrating another type of partition forming part of the grid set that is positioned in the slot illustrated in FIG. 6,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, side elevational view illustrating a portion of an elongated member forming part of the grid set, and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 6 illustrating various positions of the elongated arm during the loading of a bottle into a case.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring in more detail to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated generally by the reference character 10 a portion of a grid set that may be used for loading articles such as bottles into a case or cartons carried within the case. One such bottle loading machines is illustrated in our copending application which is about to issue as US. Pat. No. 3,788,034. Bottles 12 are carried in aligned rows above the grid set 10 for being dropped through the grid set 10 into a case or cardboard cartons carried directly therebelow. Normally, there are four rows of bottles with six bottles in each row, making a total of 24 bottles to be loaded into a case.

The grid set 10 includes a plurality of elongated spaced members 14 which are attached by the ends of cross members 16 as by welding. The elongated spaced members 14 have spaced slots, generally designated by the reference character 18, as shown in FIG. 6 provided along the length thereof for accommodating positioning arms 19 so as to define a grid having a plurality of square passages 20 therein. The positioning arms 19 include an elongated member 22 constructed of any suitable material, such as molded nylon. The elongated member 22 has an upper portion 24, a main body intermediate portion 26 and a lower portion 27. The main body portion 26 has an arcuate shaped inner surface 28 which corresponds generally to the curvature of the article or bottle being loaded into the case. The arcuate surface 28 extends downwardly from adjacent the upper portion 24 to the bottom of the lower portion 27. The lower portion 27 of the elongated member 26 is inclined outwardly at an angle of approximately 3 so that if the bottle 12 bounces when being loaded into a case,

such will not scratch a label carried on the surface of the bottle 12. I

A rear side of elongated member 22 opposite the arcuate surface 28 has a right angle shape 30 so as to permit the elongated member to be forced into a corner 32 of a carton or case 34 as the bottle 12 passes through a passage 20. The right angle rear side 30 has an apex 36 which is rounded to a 1/16 inch radius so as to ride over any rough surfaces in the case as such is being forced into the corner 32 thereof.

As seen in FIG. 7, there is illustrated a portion of a conventional cardboard carton 34 which is normally used for transporting six drink bottles. The carton includes opposed side walls 38 and 40 which are joined by side walls 42 and 44. The side wall 40 has an inwardly turned flange 46 which is glued to the side wall 42 in constructing the carton. It is important not to break this connection when the bottles 12 are being loaded into the carton. The rounded apex 36 of the elongated member 22 permits the elongated member 22 to ride over the flange 46 when such is being forced into the corner of a carton as the bottle is being loaded in that respective compartment. Only one compartment of a carton is illustrated in FIG. 7, since such is a conventional item. Frequently, the cardboard cartons 34 are not fully extended to properly define the compartments for receiving the bottles, and as a result, another advantage of utilizing the subject positioning arms 19 is that they properly extend the compartments of the carton 34 when being forced into the corners 32.

The upper portion 24 of the positioning arm 19 has a pair of curved spaced slots 48 and 50 provided therein. A locking ring 52 is carried in the slot 48 for attaching the positioning arm 19 to the elongated member 14. The elongated member 14 (see FIG. 6) has spaced inverted T-shaped slots 52 provided therein.

The passages 20 are defined by four of the positioning arms 19 mounted on the elongated members 14 in the corner thereof. In the inner portion of the grid set, four of the positioning arms 19 are mounted at each junction with each one of the positioning arms 19 being carried in a different passage 20.

The positioning arms are attached to the elongated members 14 by use of a partition 56 such as shown in FIG. 5. The partition 56 has a pair of downwardly extending legs 57 and 58 which define a slot 60 therebetween having an upper surface 62 provided between the legs 57 and 58. Positioned adjacent the upper end of the partition 56 are a pair of inwardly extending opposed slots 63 and 64. In assembling the positioning arms 19 on the elongated members 14, the ring 52 is first placed into the base of the T-shaped slot 52a. Four of the positioning arms 19 are positioned circumferentially around the slot 18 on the elongated member 14 with the upper ends 24 thereof carried within the ring 52 so that the ring 52 enters the slot 48 thereon, such as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The partition 56 is then positioned at right angles to the elongated member 14 with the legs 57 and 58 extending downwardly on opposite sides of the elongated member inside the ring 52. The partition 56 is forced downwardly until the upper end of the slot 62 engages the bottom of the inverted T-slot 52a. A circular spring 66 is slipped over the upper ends 24 of the positioning arms 19 and the partition 56 into the slot 50 provided in the upper ends of the positioning arms 19.

Since an outer surface 68 of the upper ends of the positioning arms 19 are inclined inwardly, the spring 66 causes the lower ends 27 of the positioning arms to pivot inwardly to the center of the respective passage that such is carried as best illustrated in FIG. 1. On the side of the grid set such as shown in FIG. 1, instead of using a complete circular ring 52, a D-shaped ring 70 is utilized since only two of the positioning arms are secured thereto. In the corners such as shown in the left hand corner in FIG. I, sometimes a spacer corresponding to the upper portion 24 of the positioning arm 19 is inserted in the quadrant where no positioning arm is desired so as to insure proper locking of the positioning arm 19 to the elongated member 14.

In operation, the bottles are fed in rows directly above the grid set 10 and by means not shown, dropped simultaneously through the grid set. The bottom of the bottle 12 engages the arcuate surfaces 26 of the positioning arms 19 forcing such outward to the corner of the passages. The lower ends 27 of the positioning arms 19 are also forced into the corner of the case or carton being loaded. Since the elongated members 22 are spring biased inwardly, such tends to lower the bottles gently into a particular compartment in the case. Sometimes the bottle bounces, therefore it is desirable to have an inclined surface 27 on the bottom of the elongated member 22 so as to prevent the label carried on the bottle from being scratched by the positioning arm 19.

On some case loading machines, it is desirable to have a deflector means on top of the junction where the four positioning arms 19 are coupled to the elongated member 14 so as to direct the bottles into the appropriate passages. In FIG. 4, a modified form of the partition 56 is illustrated as partition 72 and includes a coneshaped member carried on top of the partition which overlaps the upper end of the positioning arm 19 when assembled. If bottles are being fed through the passages engage the cone-shaped portion 74 it deflects the bottle 12 towards the appropriate passages 20.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A positioning arm for use in a grid set on an article loading machine, wherein articles such as bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a case carried below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said articles to pass therebetween, a plurality of said positioning arms being supported on said elongated spaced members for defining passages through which said articles pass for loading into said case, each of said positioning arms being carried in a respective corner of a passage, resilient means engaging said positioning arms for pivoting a lower end of said positioning arms towards the center of said passages, said positioning arm comprising:

an elongated member having an upper portion, a

main body intermediate portion and a lower portion,

said main body portion having an elongated arcuate inner surface for engaging said surface of said articles as said articles pass through said passages for loading into said case, and

a rear side of said upper portion of said elongated member opposite said arcuate inner surface being inclined inwardly defining a pivot point at the junction of said main body portion and said upper portion, whereby said lower end of said positioning arm can be pivoted towards and away from said center of said passage for guiding said articles therethroughr 2. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 1 wherein a rear side of said elongated member opposite said arcuate surface has a right angle shape so as to permit said elongated member to be forced into a corner of said passage by said article passing through said passage 3. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower portion of said elongated member is inclined rearwardly from said intermediate position so as not to engage a surface of said article when said article bounces in said case during loading.

4. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 2.wherein said right angle shaped rear side has an apex which is rounded so as to ride over any rough surface in said case when being forced into a corner of said passage by said article passing through said passage during loading into said case.

5. A grid set for use on a bottle loading machine having means for positioning bottles in aligned rows above said grid set and means for positioning empty cases below said grid set, the improvement comprising: a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said guide members including elongated downwardly extending arms carried adjacent the corners of said passages, resilient means for biasing lower ends of said arms inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said case, said arms having an elongated arcuate inner surface for engaging a surface of said bottles as said bottles pass through said passages, and means for pivotally supporting said elongated arms in corners of said passages;

whereby the movement of said bottles passing through said passages is retarded as said arms are pivoted into said corners when said bottles engage said arms while being loaded into cases.

6. The grid set as set forth in claim 5 further comprising:

a deflector means carried above said elongated arms at said corners of said passages for directing said bottles into said passages.

7. The grid set as set forth in claim 6 wherein said deflector means in a cone-shaped member with a small diameter end extending upwardly directly above said corner of a passage.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3 ,9ll.,647 Page 1 of 2 DATED October 14 1975 Thomas P. Hartness and Robert G. Hartness INV ENTOR(S) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below;

Column 1, line 2 please insert:

This is a continuation-in-part .of application, Serial Number 240,542 filed on April 3 1972 Patent No. 3 ,788 ,034-

Column 1, line 28, Please cancel the word "loading" and substitute therefor: --loaded-.

Column 2 line 8 please cancel the word "Upon" and substitute therefor: -upon--.

Column 2 line 39, please cancel thewword, "machines" and substitute therefor: machine.

Column 4 line 38, please delete the word "are".

Column .4 line 39, please cancel the word "'bottle" and substitute therefor: bottles--.

UNITED STATES PATENTAND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 13,911, 4 g 2 of 2 DATED October 14, 1975 INVENTOR(S) Thomas P. Hartness and Robert G. Hartness It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby corrected asshoyvn below:

Column 6, line 26, please cancel the word "in" and substitute therefor is Bigncd and Scalcd this Eighteenth D y f January 1983 |SEAL| Arrest:

GERALD J. MOSSINGHOFF Arresting Officer Commissioner 0 1 Patents and Trademarks 

1. A positioning arm for use in a grid set on an article loading machine, wherein articles such as bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a case carried below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said articles to pass therebetween, a plurality of said positioning arms being supported on said elongated spaced members for defining passages through which said articles pass for loading into said case, each of said positioning arms being carried in a respective corner of a passage, resilient means engaging said positioning arms for pivoting a lower end of said positioning arms towards the center of said passages, said positioning arm comprising: an elongated member having an upper portion, a main body intermediate portion and a lower portion, said main body portion having an elongated arcuate inner surface for engaging said surface of said articles as said articles pass through said passages for loading into said case, and a rear side of said upper portion of said elongated member opposite said arcuate inner surface being inclined inwardly defining a pivot point at the junction of said main body portion and said upper portion, whereby said lower end of said positioning arm can be pivoted towards and away from said center of said passage for guiding said articles therethrough.
 2. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 1 wherein a rear side of said elongated member opposite said arcuate surface has a right angle shape so as to permit said elongated member to be forced into a corner of said passage by said article passing through said passage.
 3. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower portion of said elongated member is inclined rearwardly from said intermediate position so as not to engage a surface of said article when said article bounces in said case during loading.
 4. The positioning arm as set forth in claim 2 wherein said right angle shaped rear side has an apex which is rounded so as to ride over any rough surface in said case when being forced into a corner of said passage by said article passing through said passage during loading into said case.
 5. A grid set for use on a bottle loading machine having means for positioning bottles in aligned rows above said grid set and means for positioning empty cases below said grid set, the improvement comprising: a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said guide members including elongated downwardly extending arms carried adjacent the corners of said passages, resilient means for biasing lower ends of said arms inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said case, said arms having an elongated arcuate inner surface for engaging a surface of said bottles as said bottles pass through said passages, and means for pivotally supporting said elongated arms in corners of said passages; whereby the movement of said bottles passing through said passages is retarded as said arms are pivoted into said corners when said bottles engage said arms while being loaded into cases.
 6. The grid set as set forth in claim 5 further comprising: a deflector means carried above said elongated arms at said corners of said passages for directing said bottles into said passages.
 7. The grid set as set forth in claim 6 wherein said deflector means in a cone-shaped member with a small diameter end extending upwardly directly above said corner of a passage. 